(a) Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a mirror mounting system for removably, temporarily mounting a mirror at the rear of a vehicle in order to facilitate the positioning of the rear or hitch area of the vehicle near the hitch of the trailer, so that the trailer may be easily coupled to the rear of the vehicle.
(b) Discussion of Known Art
It is well recognized that when attaching a trailer to a vehicle it is advantageous to first place the trailer hitch on towing vehicle as near as possible to the mating portion on the trailer before connecting the trailer to the vehicle, without bumping the trailer. There are many reasons for this, some of which include the possibility of damaging the towing vehicle as well as the trailer by accidentally bumping into the trailer. Also, if the vehicle and trailer are left too far from one another, the mating section of the trailer, the tongue of the trailer, will have to be manually lifted and placed over the hitch on the vehicle. This procedure can easily lead to back injury to the individual trying to connect the trailer to the vehicle.
Importantly, when trying to connect to large, heavily loaded trailers on which the hitch or tongue cannot be manually moved into position, but still have to be precisely aligned before connecting to a towing vehicle. The fact that the towing vehicle must be moved into position means that the operator must typically make several attempts at positioning the towing vehicle into position before being able to properly connect the trailer to the towing vehicle. The need to make several attempts at positioning the towing vehicle wastes operator time, which can increase operating costs to businesses that must move a variety of trailers.
While the need to provide a device that allows the vehicle operator to manipulate the rear of the vehicle to an optional connection position has been recognized, there remains a need for a device that can be used with a large variety of vehicles and that can be easily stowed away when not in use. An example of the solutions in the known prior art include U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,310 to Staggs. The Staggs patent teaches the use of a mirror which is supported on a pair telescoping legs that mount to the rear of a vehicle by means of a magnet. The telescoping nature of the Staggs device requires that the legs be substantially parallel to one another. This parallel, telescoping structure limits the ability to collapse and stow the device when not in use. Also, the use of parallel legs limits the adaptability of the support structure, since the positions of the legs relative to the mirror can only be varied telescopically and radially. The structural limitation imposed by the parallel legs limit the use of the device to vehicles which provide a flat surface on which the magnetic base may be mounted. Also, the telescoping, parallel structure does not lend itself to optimal collapse and stowage, optimal stowage size being a size that approximates the size of the mirror surface.
Another example of a device that allows a user to view the hitch area while trying to attach a trailer to a vehicle is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,478,101 to Roberson. The Roberson device includes a magnetic base which supports a support structure with a generally O-shaped configuration. This configuration offers advantages in simplicity as well as compactness in size. However, the O-shaped support structure is even further limited in its adjustability as compared to the telescoping structure of the Staggs device. Thus, while the Roberson device offers several important advantages, it leaves unsolved significant problems with universal applicability and adjustability.
An important development in a trailer hitch alignment device is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,180,182 to Haworth. The Haworth device includes a pair of side panels with slots that have been adapted for receiving the tailgate on a pickup truck and a flat panel that supports a mirror between the two side panels. Perhaps the most serious limitations of the Haworth device is that it can only be used on vehicles that present an edge that is similar to the edge on a pickup tailgate or the window on the back o a station wagon or the like. Thus the Haworth device does not provide the versatility that is needed for a tool that is used for aligning a trailer hitch, since trailers are frequently towed by vehicles such as scrapers, pull carts, and fork lifts. Thus, the multitude of vehicles that are used for towing trailers require a truly versatile support structure for a reflective surface.
Other support structures, such as the structure taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,913 to Quesada allows significant flexibility in that it provides slotted adjustments and a single pivot point for supporting the mirror surface. However, the Quesada device leaves the problems of versatility and collapsibility unanswered, or not fully addressed. This is largely due to the structure of the Quesada device requiring many components that cannot be conveniently collapsed. Also, the Quesada structure also requires the attachment to surfaces such are found on pickups or on station wagons or the like. These limitations are also found in the structure revealed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,376 to Neeley, which uses a U-shaped bracket to support a mirror surface.
Other devices for aiding in the alignment of trailer hitch connection components are taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,199 to Howe, U.S. Pat. No. 5,309,289 to Johnson, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,552,376 to Cofer. These inventions are primarily attached to sections of the trailer, and thus do not offer the same advantages of collapsibility and ease of installation found in devices that mount temporarily to the towing vehicle.
Thus it is clear that there remains a need for a device that can be used with a variety of towing vehicles to allow the driver to see the hitch area while trying to connect a trailer.
It is also important to note that there remains a need for a device that can be used to temporarily support a mirror near the hitch area of a vehicle, and that can be collapsed to approximately the size of the mirror for easy stowage.
There remains a need for a simple device for temporarily supporting a mirror from near the hitch area of a vehicle, without having to engage in a significant number of adjustments in order to achieve proper viewing of the hitch area.